Half-Life: Blue Shift

 PC
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 739 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 508 out of 739
  2. Mixed: 186 out of 739
  3. Negative: 45 out of 739
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  1. Svenborg
    Feb 4, 2012
    9
    Yet another good expansion with Half-Life's trademark storytelling, and now constant reaction with an NPC, Blue Shift is a stable expansion with a good graphics update. My only problem was it's length, but since it's Half-Life, it's awesome.
  2. temps
    Nov 17, 2011
    10
    Granted, this one was far too short. But honestly, it was just an expansion pack... what do you expect? Bottom line, it's more Half-Life action. If you're a Half-Life fan, you have every reason to give it a chance. It's a great game, but it's just a SHORT expansion pack. Don't expect it to be what it isn't. This isn't Half-Life 2, it is Half-Life: Blue Shift ... a short little expansionGranted, this one was far too short. But honestly, it was just an expansion pack... what do you expect? Bottom line, it's more Half-Life action. If you're a Half-Life fan, you have every reason to give it a chance. It's a great game, but it's just a SHORT expansion pack. Don't expect it to be what it isn't. This isn't Half-Life 2, it is Half-Life: Blue Shift ... a short little expansion that gives you another several hours of the Half-Life universe to enjoy through the eyes of a different character. Definitely worth checking out if you are looking for more Half-Life action. If not, go play the other Half-Life games instead. They are definitely better.… Expand
  3. KonataGoTimotei
    Dec 15, 2012
    8
    You know, I really can't say what makes this game appeal to me so much. Its really just a much shorter half-life from a different point of view, but I still cant help but love it.
    I think that what might be the main appeal to me about this is the fact that you just play as a normal guy. He isn't the main character of the series, so he doesn't have the "Main Protagonist" kind of    You know, I really can't say what makes this game appeal to me so much. Its really just a much shorter half-life from a different point of view, but I still cant help but love it.
    I think that what might be the main appeal to me about this is the fact that you just play as a normal guy. He isn't the main character of the series, so he doesn't have the "Main Protagonist" kind of immortality. He isn't a trained soldier like in Half-Life: Opposing Force, hes just a kind of normal dude. He probably just woke up that morning, had his breakfast, went to work, then everything just went to **** for no reason.
    Really, this is just Half-life just shorter and from a different point of view, so there's really not much to say about it, because what you buy is what you expect.    … Expand
  4. Longtimegamer
    Nov 9, 2009
    10
    This game has to be the best of all the half-life series... I've always wanted a game where I could do exactly what I would in real life... If I were casted into this apocalyptic senario you can bet your butt that I would be doing nothing other than trying to escape... I would not go to some alien homeworld to kill their boss... I would just make a break for it.
  5. NickN.
    Dec 11, 2007
    4
    Possibly the biggest let-down in gaming history. While it may still have some of the qualities of the original half-life, the irritating and confusing levels in this short game, along with the boring ending that isn't even really a "climax" at all, ruins Blue Shift completely. Something worth mentioning is that you have LESS weapons than in the original half-life. Not having any new Possibly the biggest let-down in gaming history. While it may still have some of the qualities of the original half-life, the irritating and confusing levels in this short game, along with the boring ending that isn't even really a "climax" at all, ruins Blue Shift completely. Something worth mentioning is that you have LESS weapons than in the original half-life. Not having any new weapons is already dissapointing enough, but to actually take away weapons in an expansion pack is really disappointing, especially coming from such a great company as Valve.… Expand
  6. Dave2
    Jul 19, 2001
    1
    It was a waste of time. I want my money back.
  7. Elektordi
    Jun 1, 2006
    2
    Finished in less than a day... Not so good than all others HL mods.
  8. WilliamK.
    Oct 25, 2007
    3
    Half Life: Blueshift was just an attempt to get more money off the Half Life franchise. It's a weak attempt at creating an expansion, and it is hardly a "must have". As an FPS it's just loke good old Half Life, but storywise it is dull, boring and repeatative. In short: stay away from this game unless you're dying to get your hands on an old FPS.
  9. Desangele
    Jul 2, 2009
    4
    No new weapons,really short.Although it has some new thing i can`t rate it more than 4
  10. John
    Oct 9, 2003
    3
    Waste of time.
  11. AB
    Feb 2, 2005
    1
    Who would want to buy an expansion that actually lowers the quality of the game? "Blue Shift" is one of the biggest disappointments I've ever seen. This game is exactly what the initials are: BS.
  12. JacobN.
    May 7, 2006
    0
    a completely dissapotinting game.
  13. BigD.
    Jun 10, 2006
    10
    This is one of the best games EVER i think that all the HL games and modes RULE the gaming industries.
  14. MikeX
    Sep 16, 2001
    2
    Sure it has some excellent qual gameplay...but its way too short and there ain't much variety on enemies/weapons...oh my did we explore a lot(sarcastic)! I beat this game in less than 4 hours on the difficult difficulty...and im about ta do it again cause im bored...and in case i missed something.
  15. Sid
    May 10, 2006
    0
    I cant believe i actually played through the whole thing, thinking it would get better. dont make my mistake. this game is lame.
  16. NathanL.
    Jun 13, 2007
    4
    Good game, but too short. I finished it in about 2 hours. Should be free.
  17. Sumone!!!
    Apr 24, 2009
    0
    NO, no, no! This is all wrong! Half-life was a great game I loved it! Then, here come Opposing force! It was great. I loved killing enemies as the marines! It great to play the bad guys sometimes. Then, OH MY GOD! I bought Half-life: Blue Shift and was expecting great things! I played it straight till I beat the game. The bad part was...it took me only 40 minutes. In less then 1 hour I NO, no, no! This is all wrong! Half-life was a great game I loved it! Then, here come Opposing force! It was great. I loved killing enemies as the marines! It great to play the bad guys sometimes. Then, OH MY GOD! I bought Half-life: Blue Shift and was expecting great things! I played it straight till I beat the game. The bad part was...it took me only 40 minutes. In less then 1 hour I have played the worst game in the half life series. It was just a attempt to make more money of the original half life series. I hope they learn from this.… Expand
  18. ScottS.
    Dec 30, 2007
    6
    You can't go wrong with half-life, yet blue shift does kinda leave you hanging with a short gameplay. But it does have its advanteges, the enhance pack and opposing force+opposing force capture the flag. who know barney calhoun, such a minor roll in half life 1, could play such a big roll in half life 2?
  19. MichaelS
    Dec 20, 2009
    3
    Very poor. Short, boring, at best reminiscent of previous gameplay. No new weapons, no new enemies. No need to comment further.
  20. CRL
    Jul 25, 2011
    6
    There are several things that kill Blue Shift. There's the shortness of the game itself. There's the fact that there are less weapons than in the original game. There's no boss fight at the end. There's really no climax of any kind (even though the story is a little interesting). However it is enjoyable for the brief time you'll spend playing it, and it gives a solid third side to theThere are several things that kill Blue Shift. There's the shortness of the game itself. There's the fact that there are less weapons than in the original game. There's no boss fight at the end. There's really no climax of any kind (even though the story is a little interesting). However it is enjoyable for the brief time you'll spend playing it, and it gives a solid third side to the Half-Life storyline, which is why it still deserves a 6.… Expand
  21. TAMPjackoon
    Oct 6, 2011
    6
    Now I love all the Half-Life games, it's really my favorite game franchise, and that's really saying something. But this one didn't cut it for me, unlike HL:OF, there are no new weapons or enemies (even though this was released later) and while it is still like HL1, the puzzles are no longer fun, the gameplay hasn't changed much, but it's kind of a grind, you wanna play it just for theNow I love all the Half-Life games, it's really my favorite game franchise, and that's really saying something. But this one didn't cut it for me, unlike HL:OF, there are no new weapons or enemies (even though this was released later) and while it is still like HL1, the puzzles are no longer fun, the gameplay hasn't changed much, but it's kind of a grind, you wanna play it just for the sake of being a fan. I wouldn't say it's worth it, sorry.… Expand
  22. t0bssu
    May 14, 2012
    9
    This happens, when a game company tries to make money out of VALVe:s best game.
    If this game were made by VALVe... it would have been SO much better, but it still is a game worth playing.
    Graphics for year 2001:9/10
    gameplay:8/10
    musics:10/10 (but still they are from hl1, so....)
    sound effects: 5/10 THAT LOUD MP5!!
    overall 8,7/10, but play it still. It's a half life game after all ;)
  23. Zebunker
    Jul 14, 2015
    8
    Being a cop always seems like a fallback job. Sure, you wanted to be a doctor but studying really is not your thing. After you got out of the military your thirst for killing innocent people has no place in the modern workplace. How do you write that on a resume anyways? Come to Black Mesa, you can kill stuff and we won’t ask too many questions.

    That’s exactly what you get to in this    Being a cop always seems like a fallback job. Sure, you wanted to be a doctor but studying really is not your thing. After you got out of the military your thirst for killing innocent people has no place in the modern workplace. How do you write that on a resume anyways? Come to Black Mesa, you can kill stuff and we won’t ask too many questions.

    That’s exactly what you get to in this spin-off / sequel to the amazing Half-Life. Just how amazing Half-Life was is being lost over time but it was really the big push for modern FPS games. This spin-off is a bit more of the same that was in Half-Life. But this cop adventure preys more on nostalgia of Half-Life. It’s billed as a new adventure, when much of the game is just re-used from the original.

    You play as Barney, the loveable cop who makes an appearance later in Half-Life 2. This is his story, how he came to be. Well, not really. If you took just the action scenes from Half-Life and threw away the story and cut-scenes this is what you get. It’s a short adventure that allows you much faster to start shooting things. It’s an alternate perspective on how the start of the main games story unfolds. Seeing things from a different character and the cameos are really the highlights.

    It’s a fun romp for a few hours, but much like security guards it’s not as prestigious or exciting as the real deal. Still beats watching re-runs of Cops on late night TV. Stay safe out their gamers. And remember swatting is a serious yet hilarious crime.    … Expand
  24. eva3si0n
    Jan 16, 2021
    9
    Half-Life: Blue Shift is the shortest game in the series and does not have any gameplay changes relative to the original. But here there is a completed plot and it does not break off like a cliffhanger. And also only 1 meeting with G-Man, apparently to him in general, a joke at Barney. Half-Life: Blue Shift may seem the most boring and unnecessary part, but it is very important. It is sheHalf-Life: Blue Shift is the shortest game in the series and does not have any gameplay changes relative to the original. But here there is a completed plot and it does not break off like a cliffhanger. And also only 1 meeting with G-Man, apparently to him in general, a joke at Barney. Half-Life: Blue Shift may seem the most boring and unnecessary part, but it is very important. It is she who connects the first and second parts. It takes place in one breath in 2 hours, allowing you to enjoy the already outdated but still excellent gameplay of the original.… Expand
  25. Broyax
    Mar 29, 2020
    0
    Bizarre, contrairement à Opposing Force qui n'aime que le D3D, Blue **** préfère l'OGL ! parce que sinon, on ne voit pas le menu principal par la suite (dès qu'on veut y retourner) ce qui est un peu ballot... Mais bon ne compat' XP SP2 et en OGL, cette vieille daube consent à fonctionner (à peu près) sur Win 7-64, alleluia !

    Mais bon, faut pas rêver non plus, car on voit bien que cette    Bizarre, contrairement à Opposing Force qui n'aime que le D3D, Blue **** préfère l'OGL ! parce que sinon, on ne voit pas le menu principal par la suite (dès qu'on veut y retourner) ce qui est un peu ballot... Mais bon ne compat' XP SP2 et en OGL, cette vieille daube consent à fonctionner (à peu près) sur Win 7-64, alleluia !

    Mais bon, faut pas rêver non plus, car on voit bien que cette extension (encore bricolée par les caves de Gearbox) a l'air bien bugguée quand même... elle reprend l'espèce de mise en scène du jeu principal sans se fouler mais en dégradant l'expérience très nettement puisqu'on est soit bloqué, soit on se retrouve à pousser un baril pour monter dessus et passer une barrière trop haute... ou alors le script ne se délenche pas : les barils inflammables n'explosent pas ?

    Bon, c'est pas tout ça mais j'ai pas trop de temps à perdre sur une vieille merde récalcitrante dont le,gameplay vieillot et suranné se signale avant tout par sa lourdeur permanente... comme dans le jeu d"origine d'ailleurs ! sauf qu'il était moins buggué que ça. Quand même ! J'ouvre donc le vide-ordure et je balance la blue **** Je peux pas me torcher avec ça, donc ça sert à rien.    … Expand
  26. Onlyclassicvg1
    Jun 24, 2020
    7
    En este juego nuevamente viviremos el accidente de Gordon Freeman, pero con la diferencia de que esta vez no seremos el héroe (Half-Life) ni el villano involuntario (Opposing Force), sino que estaremos justo en el centro de ambos bandos. El juego nos convierte en Barney Calhoun, uno de los muchos guardias de seguridad de Black Mesa, quien vive al mismo tiempo que Gordon Freeman elEn este juego nuevamente viviremos el accidente de Gordon Freeman, pero con la diferencia de que esta vez no seremos el héroe (Half-Life) ni el villano involuntario (Opposing Force), sino que estaremos justo en el centro de ambos bandos. El juego nos convierte en Barney Calhoun, uno de los muchos guardias de seguridad de Black Mesa, quien vive al mismo tiempo que Gordon Freeman el incidente de Black Mesa, pero en otros momentos y lugares .… Expand
  27. Alone_Boy_
    Sep 24, 2020
    6
    Half-Life: Blue Shift is the weakest part of the Half-Life saga. Unlike Opposing Force, it has no new enemies, no new weapons, -besides a new playable character Barney- almost nothing new at all. Game also has an uninteresting and the weakest story in the series. Gameplay is still fun but that's it. Only play it if you want to complete the series.
  28. CrapFactory
    May 20, 2002
    6
    It definitely doesn't meet the HL standards but it is fun to kill stuff and the HD pack rocks!
  29. SamR.
    May 6, 2006
    9
    Good Game Was a good, but short add on to the HL series!
  30. ColinP.
    May 9, 2006
    7
    its nice that they made a game that is intergated to half life. but it so short and the story is a littal to happy for my tase. like at the end when they drive of in to the sun seat.
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Awards & Rankings

96
#96 Best PC Game of 2001
3
#3 Most Discussed PC Game of 2001

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. Gamer's Pulse
    80
    A nice return to a classic game scenario, but is far too short and fails to bring anything new to the series. While playing Blue Shift was fun, I would compare the experience to eating Chinese food. No sooner had I finished, than I wanted more.
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  2. Yahoo!
    60
    As it stands, it's almost in the realm of the type of content you expect to freely download.
    Read full review
  3. Happy Puppy
    80
    Just know that you're in for a short ride that will leave you yearning for a full-fledged sequel.
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